Numbers 19:20

20 If any who are unclean do not become clean, they must be cut off from the community. Since they were not sprinkled with the cleansing water, they stay unclean, and they could make the Lord's Holy Tent unclean.

Numbers 19:20 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 19:20

But the man that shall be unclean
By touching any dead body, bone, or grave:

and shall not purify himself;
with the water of purification:

that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation:
(See Gill on Numbers 19:13).

because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord:
by going into it in his uncleanness:

the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him, he is
unclean;
and will remain so, for nothing else could purify him, see ( Numbers 19:13 ) .

Numbers 19:20 In-Context

18 A clean person must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water, and then he must sprinkle it over the tent and all its objects. He must also sprinkle the people who were there, as well as anyone who touched a bone, or the body of someone who was killed, or a dead person, or a grave.
19 The person who is clean must sprinkle this water on the unclean people on the third day and on the seventh day. On the seventh day they will become clean. They must wash their clothes and take a bath, and they will be clean that evening.
20 If any who are unclean do not become clean, they must be cut off from the community. Since they were not sprinkled with the cleansing water, they stay unclean, and they could make the Lord's Holy Tent unclean.
21 This is a lasting rule. Those who sprinkle the cleansing water must also wash their clothes, and anyone who touches the water will be unclean until evening.
22 Anything an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and whoever touches it will be unclean until evening."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.